


A good soldier but not a good men [Translation]

by IWillSinkWithMyShips, Lovxx31



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Divorce, Established Relationship, Getting Back Together, M/M, Sad with a Happy Ending, Translation, but not really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-10
Updated: 2020-02-10
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:16:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22654615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWillSinkWithMyShips/pseuds/IWillSinkWithMyShips, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lovxx31/pseuds/Lovxx31
Summary: Steve is a man dedicated to his job as Captain America. He protects and rescues those who need it the most and risk his life daily to make the world a better place, not just for humanity, but also for his husband and young son, Peter. But, what happens when he focuses so much in being an Avenger, that he neglects his family? And, what happens when one day after a long mission he comes home to find that his husband has had enough of his absence and abandonment?Then he will have to decide what is more important, the safety of the world or his family's happiness?
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 5
Kudos: 124





	A good soldier but not a good men [Translation]

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A good soldier but not a good men](https://archiveofourown.org/works/14512098) by [Lovxx31](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lovxx31/pseuds/Lovxx31). 



> Ahhhh! I was meant to work and publish this translation a long time ago...but life happened. To the lovely Lovxx31, gracias por darme la oportunidad de traducir tu trabajo, hize lo posible por mantener todo tal y como le escribiste! Disculpa la espera! 
> 
> For those of you who can read Spanish I encourage to read their fic! I did my best to keep it as true to the original as possible but English and Spanish are quite different. Regardless I encourage you to also drop all kudos and compliments to our awesome author as I take no credit for the wonderful story they wrote!

_Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. - Leon Tolstoy_

He was back from a long mission that had taken more time than originally planned. He was seated on the Quinjet being piloted by Clint and Tasha, it was late, he was exhausted, bruised and the only thing he wanted was to go home and kiss his son good night and snuggle into bed with his husband.

He let out a long and heavy sigh, Tony was probably mad at him. They hadn't been in good terms when Steve had left for his mission after just one day of being back from a 5 week mission. He was suppose to have taken a vacation to be with his family and not even twenty-four hours after being back home, he had already been preparing to leave again.

Tony had been mad and demanded he stay, to which Steve had refused, it was his duty as a defender of humanity to be there when necessary. Tony had been able to leave his life as an Avenger behind, but not him. He had a duty to fulfill and he would do it, he couldn't let down those who believed in him.

Despite Tony's disapproval, Steve had no other choice but to leave with a heavy heart at having to leave his husband in tears because of him. He hated himself, but he had no other option.

They had talked very briefly on the phone during the 7 weeks that the mission had lasted, mostly because Steve had no time for anything else, but Steve notice as Tony's voice grew more and more distant with each call and Steve feared losing his husband.

This time Steve had promised Tony to take a break from work for awhile, and he was completely serious. He had already informed Fury and the team of his coming absence and had made sure to leave Clint and Tasha in charge of the Avengers while he was gone.

"I will be back next week love," he had told Tony on the other line two weeks ago. Unfortunately, not everything had happened as he thought, and he reproached himself for making a promise he did not keep. But that was something out of his hands.

"Okay," was all he had gotten in return.

"I love you," Steve had said.

A long pause after, during which Steve wondered if the line had dropped, Tony finally responded.

"I love you too."

After that call he had been unable to call his husband until that same day when he was on his way back, he had called several times but had been unable to get an answer. Steve attributed it to being busy with his company meetings.

And even though his marriage was going through some hard times cause of him, he never expected to come home to a dark, cold and completely empty house.

He searched the entire house hoping his suspicions weren't true, but unfortunately they were. His beloved husband, the one he loved dearly, the one he'd swore to in front of God to love, to hold and protect until death do them apart, had left him. His empty room, wardrobe and Peter's room confirmed it.

And he knew the reason exactly. It was his fault. He should have never taken for granted that things would be fine after the huge fight they'd had before leaving, he should have payed more attention to the indifference on his husbands tone on the few times they'd spoken on the phone.

In the middle of his devastation he took the first thing he found and threw it against the wall, the sound of it breaking to pieces echoing all around the empty space in seconds.

With his back against the wall, he slumped down until he was sitting on the floor. He covered his face with his hands and cried, in a way he hadn't done so in years, hating himself for being such a terrible husband.

It wasn't a hard task finding Tony. After spending the night crying, in the morning he decided to get down to work, to find his husband and seek forgiveness. And may lighting strike him down and Hela claim his soul if he failed.

He rang the bell at the mansion Tony had in San Francisco, hoping to not be dismissed. Luckily, Tony opened the door almost right away. His face showed surprised at finding him standing there, it pained Steve, had he been so absent that his husband was surprised to see him? Just the thought brought tears back into his eyes.

"Tony, please forgive me." With tears in his eyes, Tony shook his head.

"I can't Steve. I can't keep forgiving you." Making his way into the mansion, Steve took Tony's hands and held them tightly hoping to transmit all his emotions and the love he felt for him with the gesture.

"Please Tony, I know I haven't been present lately, but I love you, and I'll change I swear. I'll take some long vacations, I'll be with you and Peter and..."

"No," interrupted Tony. He brusquely freed his hands from Steve's grip, "I made my decision and I won't change my mind."

"Tony, I swear that this time I am serious. I'll take that vacation you've been asking me for."

"And then what, Steve?" asked Tony in a tired voice.

"What do you mean?"

"What happens after your vacation? You'll leave again, you'll leave me and Peter alone, and years will pass until you take another vacation or I force you to do it."

Steve was silent at Tony's words, he didn't know how to respond. He really had no idea what would happen once he rejoined, but he had to admit that Tony was right. He opened his mouth to speak but Tony cut him off.

"I can't go on like this Steve. I know what being Captain America means to you, and I completely understand. I know the country and the world needs you, but I do too Steve. Do you not realize that? I am tired of being alone, of waiting every night for you to come back, of being constantly worried about you. I am basically raising our son by myself, he's so used to you not being here that he has stopped asking about you."

Tony's last statement broke his heart into a thousand pieces.

"And it's not fair, it's not fair that my 4-year-old is used to his father's absence, I already went through that and I don't want that for my son. It's not fair that even though I am married I have to be a single dad, because that's what I am. I can't keep forgiving you doing the same thing my father did my whole life, getting wrapped up on his job and leaving my mother and I to the side, which is what I always swore not to do with my kids."

There was a long and heavy pause between the both of them. Steve didn't know how to respond, he didn't have anything to say on his defense. Tony's face was full of tears and he watched Peter through the window as he played with his friend Wade.

"Your work is important to you, and it's clear that it will always be more important than Peter and I, " said Tony breaking the silence and looking back at his husband, "but if I am going to live alone, if I am going to raise my son alone because of your job, I am going to do it legally. I am filling for divorce and I am taking full custody of Peter. I spoke to Matt and he'll make sure the process is as short as possible. With your job it is impossible for you to get joint custody, so let's do this the most amicable way possible. You will be able to visit Peter however many times you want...or can. I won't take that from you, you are his father and that won't change."

"Tony, please..." begged Steve making one last effort to save his marriage.

"Don't make this more difficult, please. I will call you in a few days for you to sign the documents. Now please, go."

"Can I see Peter, even for a few minutes?"

"Of course you can, take all the time you need. I told you I wouldn't take that from you and you can see him as often and as long as you want."

Holding back tears Steve headed to the backyard of the house, where Peter was playing with his little friend Wade. Luckily, it didn't seem like he'd heard their conversation.

"Hi Peter."

"Daddy!!" Peter got to his feet and ran towards him. After hugging him he took his hand and led him to the little table where he was playing with his friend, "Look at what Wade and I made!"

"Oh, wow!" he exclaimed at seeing all the Lego constructions made by the two little ones.

\-------

Sitting in a couch in his old apartment in Brooklyn and with the divorce papers in hand, he wondered at what point his life had gone overboard.

When he awoke from the ice he couldn't imagine himself marrying and having kids, until he met Tony and everything changed. Now, only days away from being divorced he couldn't imagine what his life would be like as a single man.

He looked at the papers one more time. Tony was being very generous with him despite everything, he would stay with the house in The Hamptons, since it was close to the compound, and with the apartment in Manhattan, in addition to receiving half of the Stark fortune. He didn't like the latter at all, he had not contributed on anything to enlarge that immense fortune. It was the result of Howard and Tony's years of work and he had no right to get his hands on it. It was as if Tony was paying him for being married to him. He'd have to discuss it during the meeting they had scheduled to clarify all points and sign.

And like Tony had told him, he would keep full custody of Peter while he was entitled to all the visits he wanted, but would be unable to appeal for joint custody. Not that he thought about doing that anyway, Tony was was right in saying that his job as an Avenger forbade that possibility.

Throwing the papers at the table in front of him, he leaned back against the couch and ran his hands through his face and let out an audible and pathetic sigh. He felt like he had suddenly aged those 70 years he'd been in the ice.

He went to the kitchen and open one of the compartments and took out a bottle of Asgardian mead that his good friend Thor had brought him. He didn't usually do these things, but by God did he need it today, he needed to drown his sorrows in alcohol.

His cellphone rang at that moment. With the bottle in one hand and his cellphone in the other he went towards his room taking large swallows of the drink. He threw himself on the bed and took the call, it was Fury.

"Rogers, I need you in Ireland now. Romanoff and Wilson will pick you up in the morning."

"Okay." Without saying anything else, he hung up the call cutting off Fury.

While he kept drinking that magic liquid that was already beginning to cloud his senses, he thought that if he went to Ireland tomorrow he would not be able to attend the divorce meeting with Tony in three days. For a fleeting moment he was glad that because of that his divorce would be delayed, but then he realized that this was the reason Tony was doing this in the first place. His continued failures, his constant abandonment despite him promising otherwise, and this time he had promised to take time off to be with his son and had informed SHIELD, and the rest of the team on this. If he now told Tony that he couldn't go, not only to the meeting but also to the trip to to the zoo that he'd promised Peter in a few days, he wouldn't be doing anything else besides proving him right.

He picked up the phone again and stared at the background, stroking the screen with tears in his eyes as if he could could caress his two great loves. It was a picture of the three of them, where he and Tony where hugging Peter at his birthday party while he was crushed between them. He dialed Fury's number and was answered at the first tone.

"I won't go to the mission," he said before Fury could say anything and hung up once he was done speaking, cutting off Fury again.

He took another swig of the bottle and thought about the fact that the photo in his background was the last picture he had with his son, and he was about to turn 5. He had certainly been very absent.

Three days later he was sitting in Tony's office at the San Francisco mansion with Matt Murdock going over the last details of the divorce. Right at that moment Matt was saying something about one of the sections in the divorce, but Steve wasn't really paying attention to what the lawyer was saying, instead concentrating on looking at Tony. Memorizing each of his features as if this was the last time he would ever see him.

"What do you think about it, Steve?" asked Matt bringing him back to reality.

"About what?" he asked in return.

"About the fact that you will keep half of my fortune, it's whats rightfully yours but I know it's something that makes you uncomfortable."

"Well yes, that's true. I wanted to talk to you about that."

"Perfect, what's on your mind?"

"I don't want your money."

"What?" asked Matt and Tony at the same time.

"I don't want your money Tony, I didn't marry you for your fortune, I married you because I love you."

The latter seem to make the brunette uncomfortable, who blushed and looked somewhere else in the room.

"Yes, well... that doesn't matter anymore. Let's talk about what's going on right now. If you don't want half of my money let's settle on a sum. How about 20 million? it's a relatively small amount s...."

"No Tony," interrupted Steve.

"30 million?"

"I told you I don't want your money, don't give me anything."

"But I have to give you something, the law says that..."

"I don't care what the law says," he interrupted again, "if we both agree we can ignore it and not separate assets."

"But I don't agree, I want to give you something."

"But you don't have to give me anything, Tony. I don't want you to pay me for being married to you."

"I don't want to leave you on the street."

Matt watched the fight between the couple. At this point, the both of them were practically screaming and he was completely sure that that they'd forgotten he was in the room with them.

"You think I can't support myself?"

"It's not that love, is just..." he abruptly stopped once he realized what had come out of his mouth.

He'd called him "love" like he'd always called him when they were a happy couple. It was a hard hit for both of them. But it made Steve realize something...

Tony took a breath trying to keep the tears from his eyes.

"What I wanted to say is that..."

"Stop Tony," interrupted Steve once more, "I don't want to continue with this."

"What are you talking about?"

"The divorce, I don't want to continue with this."

...he didn't want to leave Tony. What was he doing here discussing the divorce agreement with the love of his life? While returning from the mission Steve had promised himself that he would do everything possible to get his family back and he didn't know at what moment he had forgotten that, but now he would fulfill his promise. He would get his husband back no matter what.

"I love you, Tony and I don't want to separate from you," he continued.

Tony's eyes again fill with tears that this time he was unable to avoid spilling.

"But you already did that," he said with a broken voice.

"I know," Steve admitted, "and I have been an idiot for abandoning you , for abandoning both of you that way. I deserve you not wanting me by your side but I'll still fight to be there. I'll fight for you. Because I can't imagine a life without you, without your bad jokes and bad moods, without your exuberant behavior and arrogance. Because even with all of your flaws to me you are perfect, the only one I want beside me, the one who makes me smile and that distracts me in the middle of dangerous missions by just the thought of you."

At those words, Tony, still crying, couldn't help but smile. Steve got off of the chair he'd been sitting and kneeled before his husband taking his hands between his and pressing a kiss in each one.

"I love you, Tony, and the only thing I want is to spend the rest of my life with you. My job as an Avenger has separated me from you more than I thought and I won't let that continue, I'll quit, in this instant, I'll call fury and abandon my role as Captain America for you and for Peter, because you two are more important than anything else. Just say something, just a word to know that you still want to be with me, and I'll do it."

For a moment Tony said nothing, making Steve's heart skip a couple of beats at the uncertainty, until Tony nodded with a slow and small movement of his head. Steve smiled wildly and leaned his face against Tony's to press a kiss to his lips.

It was a kiss that tasted like heaven, it had been so long since the last time and after the last few days, where it seemed everything was going to end between them, the fact that the two of them were kissing again was something that made the two of them immensely happy.

Matt picked up the divorce papers scattered across the room, proving effectively that they'd forgotten he was there, left the room smiling, happy that his serviced hadn't been needed.

Before the kiss got more heated, Tony pulled away and rested his hands against his husband's cheeks looking at his sky-blue eyes, enjoying having him there. He'd missed him so much.

"Why did I have to file for divorce for you to notice what your work was doing to us?"

"Because you don't know what you have until it's gone, I didn't realize my continuous failures were this serious until now."

"I love you, and you are an idiot, don't do this to me ever again."

"I won't."

They kissed again getting their fill of each other while they made up for lost time and left behind all the pain and sadness. Tony was ecstatic, his intentions were not to blackmail Steve with divorce into quitting his job, but he was selfish and he would openly admit that, and the fact that Steve would choose him over everything else made him forgive him instantly. He'd been worried that he'd be gone from his and his son's life, but it wouldn't be like that.

Hours later Steve would call Fury to inform him on his resignation and would hang up before a reply could come. He also informed the rest of the team and they'd all agreed that Black Widow and Hawkeye would be the new Avengers team leaders. And finally he posted on his instagram account, with a recent photo of himself with his husband and son, that he would definitively be leaving his mantle as Captain America to dedicate himself fully to being a family man, to what the world didn't take long to react.

It was true that it made him a bit restless to leave his life as a superhero and a protector of humanity behind, but now he had what he'd dreamed of as a kid, a family, and for him there was nothing more important

_THE END_

_Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. - Anthony Brandt_


End file.
